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Staff reports: foreclosed Boston Turnpike properties, CRCOG picks Cider Mill for pilot; housing bill advances
Summary
Town staff told the Bolton PZC that two Boston Turnpike parcels are in foreclosure and likely to transfer to a private owner; CRCOG selected the Cider Mill property for a pilot development analysis; and a revised Housing Bill No. 5002 passed the House with implications for towns that do not meet housing plan benchmarks.
At the Nov. 12 meeting, Patrice Carson, AICP, consulting director of community development, reported that foreclosure actions are under way for two properties on Boston Turnpike (1225 and 1230) and that she is working with the prospective owner to review allowable improvements and uses. Carson said the properties are expected to transfer to a private owner and that they have been well maintained.
Kawan Gordon asked about the lender and the condition of the properties; Carson replied that the properties will transfer to a private owner and that they appear to have been maintained. Marilee Manning asked whether housing could be developed on either property. Michael D’Amato, the town’s zoning enforcement officer, said the 1225 parcel appears limited by existing uses and that 1230 is constrained by physical characteristics and zoning: the front portion is zoned RMUZ and does not typically allow housing, and the R‑2 portion in back contains wetlands. He said a commercial development with affordable housing units might be possible on the front portion, subject to zoning and site constraints.
D’Amato also told the commission that the Capitol Region Council of Governments (CRCOG) selected the Cider Mill property for a pilot development analysis and that initial deliverables are expected in December. He said the revised Housing Bill No. 5002 passed the House that day; the new bill seeks to expand affordable housing opportunities, allows towns to craft local housing growth plans or opt into regional plans, directs the Council on Housing Development to determine whether towns comply with plans of conservation and development (POCDs), and could affect towns’ access to some funding if they do not comply. D’Amato noted that towns with more than 15,000 residents would be required to establish a Fair Rent Commission under the bill as drafted.
The commission discussed potential funding pathways: D’Amato said the Connecticut Municipal Development Authority (CMDA) can provide substantial funding for towns that create qualifying transit‑oriented development districts and that the Board of Selectmen would need to pass a resolution to participate. He added that developers commonly rely on federal low‑income housing tax credits, and that the BOS could offer tax stabilization or abatement as local support.
No formal action was taken on these items at the Nov. 12 meeting; staff said they will continue to work with property owners and CRCOG and will supply updated regulation drafts to the PZC for further review.
